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Park Rapids Enterprise - Synthetic Drug Ban Good News

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Dangerous synthetic drugs are now illegal after the passing of a federal law Monday.

President Barack Obama signed a food and drug safety bill into law that specifically outlaw synthetic drugs such as 2C-E and "spice."

Many youths in Minnesota and North Dakota have died or been hospitalized due to the use of the dangerous drugs.

"In Minnesota and across the country, we are seeing more and more tragedies where synthetic drugs are taking lives and tearing apart families," U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in a news release. "Today's action means that this critical legislation to give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on synthetic drugs is finally the law of the land."

The new law bans 2C-E, which Klobuchar's office said was what last month killed 17-year-old Elijah Stai of Park Rapids. Also, Christian Bjerk, 18, of Grand Forks, N.D., died in a case police link to Stai's death.

In Minnesota, changes began last year after a northern suburban Twin Cities youth died from using synthetic marijuana.

Both of the last two state legislative sessions passed laws to crack down on synthetic drugs that legally were sold as incense and bath salts.

Federal and state lawmakers will need to continue their efforts in keeping on top of the synthetic drug issue. Manufacturers of the drug keep changing formulas to skirt the law.

This is a good step and hopefully keeping these drugs out of stores will keep them out of the hands of youth.